Automatic filling-replenishing loom



w. s.. soumwlcx. AUTOMATIC FILLING R'EPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED IULYIO, I9I1.

1 ,422,897 v vPatented J ulyA 18, 1922.

l0 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. S. SOUTHWICK.

AUTQMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

` APPLICATION man www, 19u. Patented July 18, 1922. 1o sums-snm a.

w. s. Sou'rHwmK. l AUTOM-ATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

-. mi bk @PWS- Patented July 18, 1922.

1o SHEETS-SHEET s.

W. SLL SLOUTHWICK. vAUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

' w APPLICATION man :uu/10.1917. 1,422,897.

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APPLICATION FILED IULYIO, 1917-` l l I l 1,422,897, Panted July 18, 1922.

l0 SHEE l'S-'SHEET 6.

w. s. sournwlcx. AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

W. S. SOUTHWICK.

AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING-LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIO, I9I7. l

Patented July 18, 1922.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

i l. F a

Z fb' all a J w ma W. S. SOUTHWICK. AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPucmoN man 1uLY1o,19\1. V l ,422,897, Patented July 18, 1922.

'I0 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

-- .OWL u. n

W. S. SOUTHWICK.

AUTOMATIC FLLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED IULYIO, |911.

' 1,422,897, Patented July 18,1922'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIIM S. SOTH'WICK, OF CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO .IVICKNRE SENCEB STEEL CORPORATION, A. CORPORATION OF lVIASSACI-IUSETTS.

AU'TOBIATIC FILLING-REFLENISHING LOOM.

Application iled July 10,

To a/Z fio-7mm it may conce/Mt.'

Be it lrnoivn that I, IVILLIAM S. Sonrr Wien, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, in the county of lWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Filling-Replenishing Looms, of which the following is a specificationa This invention relates to looms for Weaving Wire cloth with particular reference to Wire cloth having a hard or large vvire filling.

In this type of loom, When using a large or hard Wire for the filling, a bar or other positive means for operating the shuttle is usually employed as distinguished from a picker-staff to operate a so-called fly shuttle. Further, in this type of loom, When using a large or hard wire for the filling, it is not practical, and further, as a practical matter, in my experience it is impossible, to put such Wire upon a bobbin, so-called, and have the said vvire filling pulled ofi' from the tip in the Weaving operation, as when employing fillers of cotton or other fibre; but such large or hard Wire filling is Wound upon a spool-shaped holder, that is arranged in the shuttle and the said filling is removed from said spool in the Weaving operation by unwinding from the top surface of the spool, as in unvvinding thread from any spool from the top. In this general type of loom, that is, a loom for Weaving Wire fabric but einploying a soft, fine Wire for the filling, while it is the practice to use a fly shuttle, socalled, and a picker-staff for operating the shuttle, yet it is not practical and is not the practice, so far as I am aware, to Wind this soft, fine Wire filling upon a bobbin and h ve the filling pulled off from the tip of the bobbin; but, on the contrary, in such case, such soft, fine Wire filling is Wound upon an arbor or centre piece to the required size and then removed fromr the arbor and forced into place and locked lin the shuttle, and in the Weaving operation such soft Wire filling is pulled out from the inside of the tube-shaped ball, instead of being unwound from the spool, and as distinguished from beingpulled off from the tip as with a hobbin. In a Word, in this type of loom,

whether employing soft, fine wire filling or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 8, 192ml.

1917. Serial NO. 179,677.

a' hard or large filling, the bobbin construction used for handling fibre fillings is, in my experience, impractical and inoperative. So far as II am advised, the fibre fabric looms cannot be used for weaving Wire cloth and particularly for weaving Wire cloth With a stiff or hard filling, and are not designed or intended for such use.

So far as I am aware it has always been the practice,vin the use of looms for Weaving Wire cloth, not to employ a magazine or replenishing mechanism, so-called, for substituting a loaded filler container for an empty or exhausted Eller container in the shuttle, but upon the container in the shuttle becoming- .empty or becoming empty to a predetermined extent, it has been the prac tice, prior to my invention to stop the loom and by hand remove the spent filling container from the shuttle and replace it with a loaded filling container.

I believe myself to be the first in looms for weaving Wire cloth to provide automatic means for supplying loaded containers to a shuttle.

I believe that I am the first to utilize a wasteend filling remover that acts 'to give up a substantial part of the end of the filling to be caught by the Warp and Woven in the fabric and then acts to remove the severed ond portion.

I believe I am the first to provide a wasteend filling holder that includes a cushioning element to arrest by cumulative force the drawing-in movement of the filling.

I use the term spool7 in this specification to indicate a container for hard or large wire filling in order to distinguish such container construction not only from a bobbin, but also from the tube-shaped ball or the form in which the Wire lling is arranged and put in a shuttle when said filling is composed of soft, fine wire. Each spool is mounted upon a holder, the spool and its holder thus constituting a unit. One such unit is carried by the shuttle, While a plurality of them are held in reseii've in the magazine, and 'Whenever lilling replenishment is required automatic mechanism is brought into operation to transfer one such unit from the magazine to the shuttle. The ingoing full unit ejects the empty unit from the shuttle. The spools and holders therefor have cooperative elements whereby they are coupled, and the holders and shuttle have cooperative elements whereby the holders are held in the shuttle. iVhena filling unit is in operative position in the shuttle there is no relative movement as between the spool holder and the shuttle, but the spool is capable of rotating relatively to the holder as the Filling is drawn ofi'.

.si friction device carriedby the filling unit is arranged to ariest unwinding movement of the spool each time the shuttle reaches the end of its traverse, and tension is thus maintained on the filling as the shuttle goes back and forth through the shed.

1While in the form shown, the friction device as carried by the holder engagesa spool, similar or like results might be obtained by a friction device carried by the shuttle and arranged to `engage the spool, although l prefer the friction device ar 'anged and shownas connected and carried bythe holder'.

The fillingcontainer or support is in the foi-'m of a-spool, having a-core on whichvthe vfilling is wound, and having two fianges at the ends respectively of the core to confine the fillings. The operation of the filling-replenishing mechanism is controlled by a filling` feeler, and such feeler isV arranged to time the filling-replenishing operation accordingito the radial distance between the rim of one of the spool flanges and the periphery of filling on-the core. This insures accuracy as to timing, because the radial distance between the core and the rim of the flange can be determined closely and does not vary to any appreciable extent, The quantity of filling left on the core of the empty spool may therefore be reduced to a minimum without sacrificing certainty of operation of the filling-replenishing mechanism.

The invention includes a filling cutter that cuts the end of the old filling and that cuts the end of the new filling close to the edge of the fabric, the first cutting operation occurring simultaneously with the last beat in which the old filling is used, and the second -herein is claimed in my copending application Serial No. 449,836, filed Mar. 5, 1921.

On the drawings: Figure 1 represents an elevation of the filling-controlled mechanism in an interme- Lianne? diate stage of operation. This View includes also the upper front portion of the loom frame, and a portion of the lay. 1n the present instance the filling-controlled mechanisin is mounted at the left-hand end of the loom, near the front; and so far as the loom frame is concerned, this gure is an elevation of the left-hand end, looking from left to right.

Figure 2 represents an elevation of the same filling-controlled mechanism from the same point of view but on a smaller scale and in normal condition, and includes an operating eccentric that does not appear in Figure l.

Figure 3 represents a top plan view of the filling-controlled mechanism Vincluded in Figure 1.

Figure 1- represents a top plan view of the filling-replenishing mechanism at the other end of the loom, and includes the magazine in which the filling units are stored.

Figure 5 represents a front'elevation of the structure included in Figure 4i, the uppery portion ofthe magazine being broken away.

Figure 6 represents a vertical section in a plane from front to rear through the struc` Y ture intersected by line (3-6 of Figure 5, the

mechanism being in the act of replenishing thel filling, and the filling cutter being in cutting position.

Figure .7 represents a sectional view in a vertical plane from front to rear through the structure intersected by line 7-7 of Figure 5, but omitting the cutter. rlhis figure is similar to Figure 6 as to the positions of the parts shown.

`li`igure 8 represents an elevation, partly in section, of the elements that control the return of the cutter to its initial position after the second cutting operation, said elements being adjustedto cause such return as soon as the second cutting operation has been performed. i

Figure 9 represents a vertical section similar to Figure G, excepting that the mechanism is innormal or initial position, as when ,the leoni is weaving.

Figure 10 represents a rear elevation lof the filling magazine, the direction being from the lfront toward the rear of the leoni.

Figure 11 represents an elevation, partly in section, of the structure includedin Figure 10, ylooking in the direction of arrow A, a part ofthe magazine beingomitted, in this figure the mechanism that transfers the filling from the magazine to the shuttle is shown in normal or initial position.

Figure 12 represents va view similar to Figure 11, excepting that the transferring mechanism is in the act of transferring a filling unit to the shuttle.

Figure 13 represents a front elevation of the structure included in Figure 12, as indicated by arrow B, with the addition of the means for removing the several units of new filling.

Figure 14 represents a top plan view of the shuttle, with a lilling unit in operative position therein.

Figure 15 represents a front elevation et such shuttle and filling unit.

Figure 16 represents a sectional View in a vertical plane through the right-hand end of the shuttle, as indicated by .line 16-16 of Figure 14.

Figure 17 represents a horizontal section, looking up, through the structure intersected by line 17H17 of Figure 16, and includes a portion of a filling unit in the act of entering the shuttle.

Figure 18 represents a vertical section through the shuttle, as indicated by line L18-18 of Figure 14, and includes a iilling unit about to enter the shuttle, the direction of movement of the filling unit being indicated by arrow C.

Figure 19 represents a top plan View ot c. spool holder, excepting that the center stud is shown in section. The outline oit a spool is represented by a circular broken line.

Figure 2O represents a sectional View through a illing unit in the plane indicated by line 20-20 of Figure 19.

Figure 21 represents a top plan view ot one of the two shuttle carriers, with the shuttle supported by the left-hand end thereof. A portion of the shuttle carrier is broken out to enable both ends thereof to be included within the space permitted lor the drawing.

Figure 22 represents a front elevation of the structure included in Figure 21, excepting that the shuttle is omitted.

Figure 23 represents a perspective View, somewhat conventional in character, showing the lay, the shuttle, take-up mechanism, the unwoven warp members, and the woven fabric.

rlhe same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

I have not attempted to show a complete loom, because such showing would encumber the drawings unnecessarily and would tend to cause confusion. In many respects the loom is similar to that illustrated and dcscribed in my copending application Serial No. 26,329, tiled May 6, 1915 Patent No. 1,214,966, issued February 6, 1917. It also be stated that the shuttle-carrying mechanism and take-up mechanism are substantially like those shown in the patent to Strowbridge, 446,035.

Referring to Figure 1,-the frame of the loom is indicated at 25, and the lay 26 is shown at iront center. The reed is indicated at 27. The shuttle 28, instead of resting on the lay, as in ordinary looms, is supported by two bars 29 alternately. One olf such bars is included in Figure 1, and the other is ineluded in Figures 21 and 22. These bars are arranged substantially in line with each other and are mounted in suitable bearings at the ends of the lay. They are reciprocated toward and from each other to carry the shuttle back and forth through the shed, the inner end ot each bar having a socket to receive the shuttle, as shown by Figure 21. The shuttleecarrying bars are provided with latching devices that engage the shuttle, and such latching devices are operated automatically to release the shuttle as the latte!l is transferred from one bar to the other. The bars move toward each other when the lay is retracted lrom the tell oit the fabric.I and at such time the shed is open to receive them. Fach bar passes approximately hallway through the shed, the transier of the shuttle from one bar to the other being eitiiected in the shed so that the shuttle is always sustained by at least one oit said bars and is carried through the shed instead oz" being projected. fis shown by Figure 1, the shuttle is at the lett-hand end oil; the loom, that is, the end opposite the replenishing end.

The illingeeler is indicated. at 30. This Vieeler is an oscillatory arm and is mounted upon a stationary pivot stud 31. lts upper end is formed to enter between the end plates or flanges 32,32 of the operating spool when the shuttle containing thev latter is at the left-hand (in this instance) end of its traverse. rlhe core of the spool is indicated at 83, and although the spool is empty as shown by Figure 1, it is to be assumed that that it has a few convolutions of filling on its core. Itis for this reason that a narrow space is shown between the core and the eeler, but such space would in practice be taken up by the small amount of filling on the core. According to the conditions represented by Figure 1, the filling has been de pleted to such degree as to cause the operation of the illing-replenishing mechanism. The eeler has been moved forward by the ililling on the spool, the lay being at liront center; but when the lay is retracted from the fell of the fabric, the teeler is moved toward the rear by a helical compression spring` 34 as tar as the adjustable setscrew 35 will permit. `While the loom is running, the teeler is moved forward by the spool once for each two beating-up operations, for it will be understood that the shuttle will be at the replenishing end and at the eeler end alternately when the lay beats up.

So long as there is su'tlicient filling on the core of the spool, the movements imparted to the feeler will not have any effect on the replenishing mechanism, but when lthe filling has been so tar depleted as to require a change ot lilling units, the upper end of the leeler will enter between the flanges 32 of the spool so far as to enable'the adjustable setscrew to engage the rim ofthe upper flange as shown by V'Figure 1. Setscrew 36 is carried by a trip linger 37, and the latter `is carried by the vfeeler,being connectedfto the latter by a pivot'stud 38. A helical compression spring 39 is arranged to bear against the trip linger to keep the latter normally raised, but when the filling on-the spool has been so far-depleted as to enable fthe upper flange 32 to-strilre setscrew 3G, the free end of thev trip finger 137 lis depressed yby the action/ofthe spool-before thefeeler isfmoved forward by the lilling that ision the spool. Consequently,fas the feeler` is moved forward with the trip linger 37 depressed as shown by Figure l, said trip linger is caused to strike a rocker 40. rlhis rocker has an undercut shoulder 4l over which the tip of linger 37 vwould pass, lexcepting when the latter is depressed as just explained.

The vfunction of rocker 40 is to raise the left-hand end of Slinger 42. This linger is connected to an arm 43 by 1pivot stud 44. A 'pin 45 carried by the lower end of .rocker 40 occupies a slot 46 in linger 42. The normal position of finger 42 is shown by Figure 2, in which .position the left-.hand yend of said linger lies below the arc traversed by boss 47 `of rocker arm 48; but when roclrcr 40 is actuated 'by trip finger is vlifts linger'42 above said are, as shown by Fig ure 1. y l

As the lay is retracted toward the rear of the loom the bobbin releases the feeler, and the latter is movedtothe rear byits returning spring .34. rlrip'finger 37 thus releases rocker 40 andthe latter isfreturned part way toward its initial .position by a helical 'torsion spring 49; but while rocker 40 is in the act of returning to its initial position, rocker 43 is lmoved forward far enough to place boss 47 under the left-hand endof linger 42.

Thus the. downward movement yof linger 42 is arrested by rocker 48; and 'the latter, continuing to move `toward the front of the loom, moves linger 42 `in the same direction and transmits such movement to arm 43. Arm 43 is alliXed to rockshaft 50, and the latter extends horizontally across Ythe loom to the replenishing end, `where other mechanism, hereinafter described, is set in oper ation to transfer a filling unit from'the magazine to the shuttle.

ln vthe present instance irockshaft 50 is utilized vto afford fa fulcrum for :rocker 40, but the latter `is loose relatively to the roclrshaft, so that it may move independently of the roelrshaft and vice versa. Rocker 48 Vthattransinitsthe motion forturning roekincase? upper endof rocker .48 is provided with an undercut shoulder 55 that abuts against the tip of linger 42 to transmit motion to rockshaft 50 as hereinbefore stated. lt may be stated at this time that eccentric 53 is `arranged to cause rocker 43 to move toward the front of the loom as the lay is moving toward the rear, but at twice the speed, and vice versa. As rocker 48 moves to the rear after having transmitted the aforesaid motion to rockshaft 50 it releases finger 42 and thus enables the latter to drop so that the return movement of the rocker 40 to its initialY position `may Abe completed. lWhile rocker 43 is in the act of transmitting motion to roclrshaft 50 the shuttle is being carried through the shed to the replenisliing end of the loom, the lay being then at or near its rear position. Then while rocher 43 moves to the rear to release linger 42 as aforesaid, the lay moves forward to beat `up the last pick of filling, and this beating up movement causes the transfer of a filling unit from the magazine to the shuttle, the cutting of the 'last piclr of old filling running to the spent spool, and the dischargeof the spent filling unit from the shuttle; but bcfore describing the three said operations it will be necessary to describe a mechanism that is adjusted by the aforesaid turning of rockshaft 50 tovbe actuated by the lay.

Figure 9 shows the/mechanism that 'is adjusted by roclrshaft 50 said mechanism being at the replenishing end of the lay. This mec ianism is also shown by Figure 4 (plan view) and Figure 5 (front elevation). The feeder .arm that transfers the filling unit from the magazine to the shuttle is indicated at and its fulcruin stud is indicated at 57. This arm is connected by a linlr 58 with an operatinglever The fulcrum stud of lever 59 is indicated at 60. liever 59 is arranged to be actuated by a bunter 6l on the lay, and for this purpose itis provided with a member 62 hereinafter termed a lishtait The shtail is mounted upon a pivot stud 63 at the upper end of lever 59. A slot 64 formed in the lishtail is occupied by a linger lliat the end o f au arm (S6. lirm'fll is alilxedto rock shaft 50. rllie aforesaid elements are in their normal or initial `positions as shown by Figure 9. Then roclrshaft 50 is `turned as aforesaid. it transmits motion through arm 66 to the lishtail, and the latter is thereby lowered into the path of bunter Gl as shown by broken 'lines in Figure v7. Consequently, as the lay beats up the last picket-old lilling it movesthe lishtail forward. tothe position shown by solid `lines inV lFigure 7, thereby moving 'feeding arm 56 from the brokenline position to the solid-line position. The remainder of the feeding mechanism'will be described indue course.

The aforesaid turning of roclshaft 50 is llO also utilized to move the filling critter to operative position. The lling cutter comprises two cooperative shear' members the shearing edges oit which are rdicated at 67 and 68. 'lhe two shearing members are connected by a pivot stud 69. The lower shearing member includes an arm 70., ot which a portion indicated at 7 Oa is arranged upon a rockshai't 7l, and adapted to clamp the latter when screw 70b is set up tightly. The cutter is thus capable et being set at various positions along the length of the rockshatt, to cut close to the selvage oi fabric of different widths. e. spline 79C locks the arm 70 against slipping rotatively in relation to the rockshaft. l helical torsion spring 72 holds the cutter normally away from. operative'position, as shown by Figure 9, but when rockshatt "50 is turned to lower the lishtail it transmits motion to the rockshatt 7l to move the cutter to operative position as shown by Figure 6. Figures 6 and 7 represent the condition, but some of the elements included in Figure G are omittedtrom Fig. 7. The elements that move the cutter to cutting position are a :forked arm 73 affixed to rockshaift 50, a bellcrank lever 7e mounted upon tulcrum stud 75, a forked arm 76 loosely mounted upon rockshatt 7l, and an arm 77 atlixed to rocksha'tt 7l and provided with a linger 78 at its outer end arranged to overlie arm 76. See Figure ft. rlhe aforesaid turning of rockshatt 50 causes arm 76 to rise, and arm 76 thus engages and moves iinger 78 to turn rockshatt 7l. rllhe cutter, on reaching cutting position, is caught by a latch so that it will remain in such position until the first pick oi? new filling has been beaten up. For this purpose rockshalt 7l is provided with a finger 79 and the tip of this finger coacts with pivoted latch 80. The pivot member of said latch is indicated at 8l. The latch has two shoulders, 82 and 83, and when the mechanism is in normal position as shown by Figure 9, finger 79 rests on the lower shoulder 82, but when the cutter is moved to cutting position the tip of iinger 79 is raised above shoulder 83, thus permitting the latch to drop to the position shown by Figures 7 and 8. Shoulder 8?) thus serves to lock rockshatt 7l to keep the cutter in cutting position. rl`he latch is subsequently retracted to release linger 79 by the beat-up motion oi the lay through the medium olf a member 84. rlhis member is carried by a branch ot arm 66 and is connected thereto by a pivot stud 85. The operation and timing of the releasing device will loe hereinafter described in due course.

The shearing members are normally held open as shown by dotted lines in Figure 8 and full lines in Figure 9, so that the iilling members that are to be cut may enter between them, 'For this purpose a helical compression spring 86 is arranged so that one end is seated against a portion of arm 70 While the other end is seated against a finger formed on the upper shearing member. Finger 87 is arranged to be engaged and actuated by the lay when the cutter is in cutting position, the open and closed positions ot' the cutter being shown in Figure lnasmuch as a relatively short motion ot the lay is sufficient to operate the cutter, the latter is arranged so that it does not begin to close until after the feeder arm 5G has traversed the greater part of its transferring stroke.

The filling magazine comprises aV chute 88 in which the iilling units are arranged one upon another in the form of a stack. Each filling unit comprises a spool and a holder therefor, the holders being indicated at 89. The lowestI filling unit in the magazine rests upon a stationary support. 99 that registers with the corresponding support in the shuttle. The rear wall of the magazine is cut away to provide an .opening 91 through which the bottom filling unit is pushed by a sliding pusherl 92. This pusher is arranged to slide on stationary guides 93. The upper end of feeder arm 56 is connected to the pusher by a pivoted link 941-. The normal position of the pusher is shown by Figure 1l. 'When the feeder arm 56 is actuated by the lay as hereinbetoreexplained, it moves the pusher toward the shuttle. and the lowest lilling unit is thereby pushed into the shuttle as shown by Figure l2, the remaining units in the magazine being supported then by the top surface 95 of the pusher. As the new filling unit goes into the shuttle from the front the spent unit goes out trom the shuttle at the rear and may drop into a chute or other receptacle, not shown, but while the spent unit is being discharged trom the shuttle the upper member oi' the cutter is depressed, thereby cutting the end of filling that runs to the spe-nt unit. The lay immediately moves to the rear, thereby releasing the fishtail. A spring 9G thereupon acts to return the 'feeder arm 5G and filling pusher to normal position. .'"tt the same time the fishta-il is raised to its normal position, and tor this purpose a helical torsion spring 97 (Figure 5) is coiled about rockshait 50. One end of said spring is anchored to a tixture. 98 in which t-he roclrshat't has a bearing, and the other end is connected to` a collar 99 atlixed to the rockshaft.

Thilo the lay is making its first stroke to the rear after having transferred a new filling unit into the shuttle the latter is carried through the shed, the cutter meanwhile remaining open and in cutting position. The ends ot filling of all the filling units in the magazine are connected to tension devices hereinafter described that hold them while the shuttle makes its first trip through the shed after having received a new filling unit, and the outlying end of new filling is thus held in such position` that it will enter between the shearing members of the cutter on the neXt beat-up of the lay. The second cutting operation is eiiected by the lay in the same manner as the first cutting operation; but simultaneously with the second cutting operation the lay strikes the pivoted member 84, which is then 1n the position shown by Figure 8 as a result of restoringroclshait toits normal position. Member 84 is thus supported in register with the tip of latch 80, and as'the lay completos its beat-up stroke it actuates member vSet and thereby transmits motion'to the latch tok retract the latter fromV finger 79. Bockshaft 71 is thus released so that its returning spring 72 may restore it to its normal position, thereby retracting the cutter from operative position. The cutter, however', has cutting motion imparted toit by the lay before it is retracted from operative position, and the end of the new filling is thus severed before the second pick of new filling is laid.

V Referring to Figure 13,-two of the ten'- sion devices that hold the outlying ends of new filling are shown, but it willbe understood that a relatively large number may be used. ln the present instance provisionis made for 17 such devices,.and it would therefore be possible to have 17 lilling unitsin the magazine at one time.. Each tension de vice comprises a weight100, a rod 101, a helical spring 102, and a sliding member 103; The lower end ot' the rod is aliixed to the weight 100, andthe upper end is formed with aneye through which the end of filling a: may be passed. The end ot the filling can be fastened. to the rod by passing it through thc eye and twisting it around the adjacent portion that has not passed through the eye, as shown. The tension devices are arranged in separate vertical chutes 104, said chutes being arranged side by. side in a gang and being provided with a bottom plate 105. The upper ends of the partitions that deline the chutes have enlargements 106 that restrict the upper ends of thc chutes so that the sliding members 103 cannot be withdrawn upwardly 'from the latter. The helical springs 102 are coiled about the rods 101 and are arranged between the weights 100 and the sliding members 103. A notched guide member 107 is arranged above the chutesand is provided with, a plurality of iilling-receiving notches 108 that register respectively with the chutes. In thc course of'charging the magazine the ends of filling ,fr are: draw-nent through the up slot in. the rear wallI ci the magazine as shown b Figure fl, and are drawn laterally into the .'fiotches'108y and. then fastened to the re* spective tension devices. Vilhen fastening the end ot' a {illing to a tension device the latter will be raised to or near the upper end of its chute, and Consequently as the filling units descend in the magazine the tension devices will descend accordingly and maintain sufficient tension on the filling members to keep them substantially straight and prevent entangling.

The tension devices serve the additional 'function of removing the ends ot filling as the latter are out in the course of beating up the lirst pick oii new illing alter a change oi' filling units. Each filling unit includes a tension device that is arrangedto resist rewinding rotation oii the bohbin, and as the shuttle maires its first trio through the shed after having received a fresh filling unit., the unwinding oi the bobbin therein does not begin until the shuttle has traveled 'tar enough to raise the weighted tension device to the top of its chute, ln this way the .filling 'is drawn lengthwise through its notch 108 and the waste of filling is reduced. When the upward movement ot the sliding member 103 is arrested by the enlargements 106, further upward movement oit the weight 100 compresses spring 102, and when the combined forces of gravity and spring stress exceed the force of the tension device that is carried by the lilling unit the drawing action of the filling member ceases and the spool begins to unwind. Thus the weighted tension device is also a cushioning device, for its force that sets up unwinding rotation of the spool accumulates gradually as spring 102 is compressed, and the likelihood of breaking the lling is averted..

The weighted tension-'device remains at the upper end ot its chute until the filling member, which in the meantime is drawn laterally between the shearing edges ot'the cutter', has been cut. Such cutting occurs simultaneously with the beating up ot the iirst pick o't new filling, and the severed end ot filling isV immediately pulled back by the weighted tension device that drops to the bottom ot its chute.

The structural details ot the shuttle and filling unit are shown by Figures 14e to 22. The shuttle that is indicated as a whole at 2S in Figure 'l :omprises two stem portions 109 the end portions 110 o1' which are tapcred to atl ord easy entrance into the sockets 111 with which the slnittle-carrying bars 20 are provided. A. chamber 112 formed in the shuttle is adapted to contain a lilling unit and is open at the -liront of' the shuttle to receive the iilling unit and is open at therear to discharge the same. The shuttle is provided with suitable guides 113 adapted to coact with complemental guides formed on the spool holder that is also carried'by the.

carrier 29. A helical compression spring 120, coiled about the rod and compresse-d be tween guide member 119 and a collar 121 that is ailixed to the rod, holds latching device 115 normally in latching position, as shown by Figure 21.

The structure ot the .filling units is shown by TEigures 18, 19 and 20. The holder for the spool comprises a base 122, a center spindle or stem 128, and a rotatable collar 124- leosely mounted on the stem. This collar is provided with pins 125, and the core 33 of the spool. is provided with holes or sockets adapted to'receive said pins. i coiled spring 12S similar to a clock spring is anchored at its inner end to the collar 124 and is compressed radially and confined by an annular ange 1217 formed on the base. This spring acts as a `tension device to oppose unwinding rotation oi" the bobbin rel.- atively to its holder, the tension being the result oi friction between the outer portion of the spring and the vflange 127. In practice l have tound it advantageous to use such spring when employing a hard w ire for the tilling whether large or small; in some cases, l have found it practical to employ a plain friction stationary tension as distinguished from said spring when employing large soft wire. The base 122 is provided with parallel ribs or flanges 128 adapted to slide in the guides 113 of the shuttle. The leading ends of the flanges 128 are beveled as shown by Figures 18 and 19, and the receiving ends of the guides 113 are correspondingly beveled, as shown by Figure. 18, to facilitate the insertion of the holder into th shuttle. One ot the flanges 128 (see Figure 19) is provided with a notch 129 to receive a latching device 180 as shown by Figure 14;. This latching device is carried by the shuttle and is mounted upon a pivot pin 181. A helical compression spring 132 holds the latching device normally in latching position. One side of the latching device is beveled shown by Figures 111 and 16, in consequence of which the latch is displaced by the leading end o1 the notched ilange oi the spool holder as the latter slides in the shuttle, and the traverse of Jdie pusher 95 is suilicient to move the lilling unit to a position where notch 129 registers with the latching device. The latter thereupon snaps into the notch and holds the filling unit in the desired position relatively to the shuttle; but when the nenv filling unit is moved into the shuttle, it displaces the spent lilling unit, and the latter in turn displaces the latching devices and is discharged from the rear side of the shuttle.

Although, as hereinbefore stated, the bars 29 that carry the shuttle back and forth through the shed are reciprocated toward and from each other substantially as in the patent to Strowbridge, 446,035, a brief description of the shuttle-carrying operation is given herewith. The carrying bars 29 are mounted in guides 183 that are carried by the lay, and are adapted to move endwise but are not capable of turning about their anis. Rotative movement is prevented in the present instance by the square cross-sectional shape of the bars 29 and the eorresionding shape of the guides 133. The bars 29 are retracted out of the shed while the lay beats up, and are moved toward each other as the lay moves to the rear, each bar moving substantially half way through the shed. The shuttle is thus transferred from one bar to the other, while passing through the shezl. The leading end oi the shuttle goes into the receiving carrier belore the trailing end of the shuttle leaves the delivering carrier, and the two carriers travel together in unison Yfor a short distance before the delivering carrier is retracted. At the instant when the leading end of the shuttle enters the receiving carrier the latching device 115 of the latter is retracted, but the latching device of the delivering carrier is in latching position. Then while the two carriers travel in unison, each supporting one end of the shuttle, the latching device 115 of the delivering carrier is retracted to release the shuttle, and the latching device o1' the receiving carrier is moved to latching position, the delivering carrier thus relinquishing control ci? the shutt-le and the receiving carrier assuming such control. The delivering carrier thereupon ceases to move in unison with the receiving carrier and is retracted, the receiving carrier continuing the transfer of the shuttle through the shed. When the shuttle is moved in the opposite direction the same or der of operations takes place.

Mechanism for operating` the latching devices 115 is shown by Figures 21 and 22, similar mechanism being provided at the opposite end of the lay for operating the companion latching device. A bell-crank lever 184iis connected to the latch-operating rod 118 by flanged screw collars 185, the lat ter being screwed upon the rod 118 and secured. in the desired position ol adjustment byl loclruuts. The bell-crank lever is mounted upon a pivot stud 136, which is carried by bracket 137 ailixed to the outer end of the shuttle carrying bar 29. A. cam 138 is aflixed to the lay in position to be engaged by the bell-crank lever in such manner that the latter will be actuated to retract the latching device 115 as the bar 29 moves inwardly. The bell-crank 134@ of the receiving carrier rides upon its cam 138 before the bell-crank lever of the delivering carrier rides upon corresponding cam, but during the short period when the two carriers move in unison as aforesaid, the bell-crank of the delivering carrier rides upon its cam 138 and the belleranlr of thereceiving carrier leads its cam, with the .results hereinbefore stated.

l claim:

l. The combination With a loom, a shuttle, a filling magazine and a plurality of filling units therein, and meal s arranged to transfer said filling units, one by one, from said magazine to said shuttle, of a plurality of Weights and guides therefor, said Weights being movable up and down independently of each other When the filling ends are attached respectively to them, said Weights being arranged to take up slack from said filling ends and to yield up such slack in consequence of the first traverse of' each filling unit through the shed..

2. in a loom, a shuttle, a filling magazine, a filling` unit therein, and means arranged to transfer said unit from said magazine to said shuttle, a tension device connected to the free end of the filling and arranged to maintain the filling under tension in the magazine, the tension for the free end of the fillingv comprising a sliding Weight, a stop to limit the motion of the Weight, and a spring interposed between the stop and Weight, to act as a shoclnabserber.

3. fn a loom, a shuttle, a filling magazine, a filling unit therein, and means arranged to transfer said unit from said magazine to said shuttle, a tension device connected to the free end of the filling and arranged to maintain the filling under tension in the magazine, the tension for the free end of the filling comprising means for applying tension to the filling, and a shock-absorber arranged t0 modify the action of said means;

i. ln a loom organized to Wea-ve wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a filling magazine, a spool in said magazine carrying Wire filling, means acting on said spool to resist the unwinding of said filling, tension means acting on the free end of said filling to co-act with the first said means to maintain the free end of said filling under tension While the spool is in transit from the magazine to the shuttle, and means for transferring said spool from the magazine to the shuttle.

5. lfn a loom organized to Weave Wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a filling magazine, a Wire filling unit in said magazine, means acting on said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of said filling, means acting on the free end of said filling coact ing With the first means to maintain said filling under tension While in transit from the magazine to the shuttle, the meansto transfer said unit -from the magazine to the shuttle.

6. ln a loom organized to Weave Wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a filling magazine, a Wire filling unit in said magazine, means to transfer said unit from the magazine to the shuttle, means on said unit to yieldinglyresist the unwinding of the filling, means acting on the free end of said filling co-acting` with the first means to maintain the filling under tension While in the magazine and until the filling is caught by the Warp, and a filling cutter arranged to cut the unwoven free end of said filling While so positioned.

7. In a loom organized to Weave Wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a Wire filling unit therein, means acting on said unit to yi eldingly resist the unwinding of the filling, a magazine, a Wire filling unit therein, means for transferring said unit from the magazine to the shuttle, means acting on said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of the filling, a tension device connected to the free end of said filling .co-acting-With said means to maintain the free end of the filling under tension until caught by theWarp, a filling cutter, means timed to operate said cutter first to cut the rear end of the filling in the exhausted filling unit and thereafter to cut the free end of the filling in the new filling unit While the said fillings are so positively positioned.

S. ln a. loom organized to Weave Wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a Wire filling unit in said shuttle, a feeler arranged te maintain engagement with said unit and to operate when said unit has been depleted to a predetermined point, a filling magazine, a Wire filling unit in said magazine, means acting upon said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of the filling, tension means connected to the free end of said filling to coact with said first means to maintain the free end of the filling under tension until caught by the` Warp, and means controlled by the operation of the feeler to transfer a unit from the magazine to the shuttle.

9. fn a loom organized to Weave Wire cloth, a. lay, a positively-driven shuttle, a wire filling unit therein, means acting on said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of the filling, a filling magazine, a filling unit in said magazine carrying Wire filling, means to transfer said unit from the magazine to the shuttle, means acting on said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of said filling, means acting on the free end of said filling to coact with said unit means to maintain the free end of the filling under tension While in the magazine and until Caught by the Warp, a filling cutter, means timed to operate said cutter first to operate to sever the unwoven end of the filling in the exhausted filling unit and thereafter to cut the free end of the filling of the new fillingy unit While in said predetermined position, a filling` feeler arranged to engage the filling in the shuttle and to be operated.

when the filling is exhausted to a predetermined point, connections between said feeler and said transfer means to operate the latter, connections between said feelei` and cutter to cause the operation of the latter, and means whereby the lay operates the cutter after the latter has been timed to act by the feeler.

l0. In a loom for Weaving Wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a filling magazine, a Wire filling unit therein7 a friction device co-acting With said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of the illing, a tension device connected to the free end of the filling to co-act with the friction device to maintain the filling under tension in the magazine, and means arranged to transfer said unit from the magazine to the shuttle.

ll. ln a loom organized. to Weave Wire fabric, a positively-driven shuttle, a filling magazine. a Wire filling unit therein, means on said unit to yieldingly resist the unwinding of the filling, means connected to the free end of the filling to cosact With said first mentioned. means to maintain the filling under tension in the magazine and until caught by the warp, and means for transferring said unit from the magazine to the shuttle.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

TILLIAM S. SOUTHVVICK. 

